Happy Birthday Tyler!

Yesterday was Tyler’s 6th birthday!!  I can’t believe it has been 6 years since Mark and I became parents.  It seems like just yesterday we were new parents trying to figure out how to take care of this little life and here he is now, 6 years later just as amazing as ever.  He is no longer my little baby, or even a toddler, he is my little man.  He is doing a great job in kindergarten and is one of the role model students.  We are SO proud of him!!! 

I wanted to post yesterday, but it was way to crazy and I never had time.  We left the house at 8:00am and I didn’t get home until 4:00pm!!  I took both kids to school, dropped off the mini cupcakes, that were decorated to look like pumpkins, off in Ty’s classroom, then I headed off to a P.A.C. meeting about school budget cuts.  This meeting ended up lasting 3 hours!  The sucky part is that our district needs to cut $3.5 million for the next school year.  I have no idea how we are going to do this and still be able to give the kids a good education!!!  Anyway, I am not going to get into this because I could go on and on.  Anyway, after that I met Mark for a quick lunch and then it was off to look at granite for the kitchen counter tops.  We picked up some samples and then I was off to more errands.  I had to stop by the bank, get one last gift for Ty and then off to pick up Chayse from school.  Then, we headed down to pick up Ty from school and Mark showed up as well.  Nice birthday surprise! :)  

Once home, Ty had to first do his homework like always, but then he was able to open his gifts.  Two of his favorites were the Hulk Hands and his razor scooter.  We let him play for a little bit, then it was off to dinner at Chili’s were at the end of the meal they brought over a chocolate float and sang happy bithday to him.  He had a great day!!  Now I am off to make chocolate lollipops for Ty’s classroom Halloween party tomorrow.

Again, happy birthday to my amazing little man and I thank God every single day that I was blessed with him!!!!

I made it!!

Well, I finished the race!!  I wasn’t the first by along while; the 1st place person ran the race in just over 15 minutes!!  But, I wasn’t the last person either.  I ended up running the 5K in 36 minutes and 36 seconds.  I don’t think that is to bad for my first time and considering that I only had about 4 weeks to get ready.  I am very happy I did it.  It made me feel good that I got off my butt and even tried to do it.  I have already decided that I will run again next year and see how much I improve.  I am going to keep training and try to get up to running non-stop for 30 minutes!!!  Yeah, we’ll see if that actually ever happens, but I’m still going to try. :)

After the race Southern Highlands had a festival with free pumpkins, bounce houses for the kids and lots and lots of booths with trick or treating.  It ended up being very fun.  Then, we headed home for some rest before heading over to Nicholas birthday party.  We were also supposed to go to our friends Halloween party, but around 8:00pm I was done.  All I wanted to do was sleep!!!

Sunday we looked at granite for the kitchen and checked out some new sinks and faucets.  I’m not sure when all of this will get purchased, but we are at least in the deciding/picking out stage.  Then, when we got home there was a message from another set of friends asking us to come over for pizza and carving pumpkins.  So, we headed over to their house.  We had so much fun!!!  The kids played, the adults chatted, we eat pizza, cupcakes, carved pumpkins, and played the Wii.  All in all it was a great weekend!!!

How long has it been??

Hey all!  I know, I know it has been WAY TO LONG since I have posted.  I’m surprised I even remembered how to log on!!!  Any who, we are still here, still alive, and just chugging along.  I thought I would have ALL this time to get things done once the kids were in school, but it seems like I have LESS time and have a hard time getting ANYTHING done. 

Chayse is doing great in preschool, but she still cries everyday when I drop her off.  That part is killing me!  But, she stops crying within minutes….and I know because I am up front watching her on the monitors!  Plus, when I pick her up she tells me all the fun stuff she did that day and goes around hugging her friends good-bye…..especially her future husband Mr. Man!  :)  

Tyler is LOVING school!  He has an amazing teacher and is one of the best students in her class.  Gush, gush, very proud parent! :)   I am helping out in his classroom every Thursday and am trying to do as much with the PTA as I can.  Everyone that I have met is SO nice.  I just LOVE his school.  I have also met some great moms of kids in his class.  We end up talking outside the classroom after school everyday (sometimes way to long). 

I myself am trying to take time for me again, now that I have 3 days without kids.  I have started walking/jogging on the treadmill 3 times a week and I am actually going to participate in the Southern Highlands 5K tomorrow!!!  I will have to post if I actually make it or not!  Wish me luck!!! 

Anyway, that is the very very very short version of what has been going on here.  Ty’s birthday is on Tuesday (hard to believe he is going to be 6!) and I am in the process of trying to get ready for that.  He also has track break coming up (he has all of November off) and we are going to meet my Dad and Naomi at Disneyland!  The kids have no idea we are going and I can’t wait to see their faces when we get there!!!  I need to get my butt in gear and start blogging regularly so y’all know what the heck is happening around here.  I’ll add that to my list of a million things to do!!  Until next post, later!

Hello School!

Today was Tyler’s first day of kindergarten.  I can’t believe this day has finally come.  I know I really should have been going through this last year, but with Tyler’s birthday being after the cut off date, I got one more year of him being at home with me (at least when he wasn’t in preschool).  But, now it is official!!! 

He had a GREAT day!!  He seems to really like his teacher, Mrs. Kalnicki, and Mark and I like her as well.  We have been told that she is one of the best teachers Ty could have gotten and that is from people who work at the school!!  This first week won’t be anything to taxing on the kids.  Mrs. Kalnicki will spend this week just getting them adjust to their new environment and then starting next week she will start sending home homework and reading assignments.  So, I am going to have to start structuring our routines to make sure we have time for everything that needs to get done every night.  I feel like I am going back to school myself!  Plus, tomorrow will probably be the strangest day for me in the past 5 years….I will be home for 6 hours without either of my children!!  Ty will be in school and Chayse will be at preschool.  Starting tomorrow I will have 3 days a week were both the kids will be in school…..and then next year they BOTH will be in school fulltime!!!  I know, I am getting a head of myself, but it will be here before I know it.  Well, one day at a time right!?!  Anyway, I am SO proud of my little man and I can’t wait to see what amazing things he has to show us!!!

Happy Birthday Chayse!

My baby girl turned 4 today!!  She is growing so fast.  I can’t believe that it was already 4 years ago that she came into our lives.  A little angel to complete our family…and little she was, only 5 lbs 4 oz.  Tiny little thing, but perfect!  She has amazed us from day one and continues to everyday.  We love you Chayse!!

Hello, Cupcake!

Today was Target day.  It was one of those usual Target trips were you go for 3 things and come home with 20!  Well, I ended up getting a new cook book called Hello, Cupcake!  It is the cutest cupcake book ever!!!  I first heard about it months ago from my good friend Margie.  She saw it on the Today Show and told me about it right away.  I have been wanting to get it every since, but just didn’t take the time to go and actual get it.  So, here I was, walking from the shoe isle on my way to look at lunch boxes for Ty when there it was just calling out to me.  How could I say no?  It didn’t matter that I already had WAY more then I needed in my cart.  I didn’t even think.  I just grabed it and kept going….I don’t even think I missed a step!  Now that is good shopping!!!  Once my kitchen is back up and running I will be cracking this open ASAP and going to work!! 

Anxiety anyone?

That is how I have been feeling for the past week for two reasons.  The first and most importantly Chayse started preschool on Tuesday!  She will be going 3 days a week, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursdays.  Tuesday went GREAT!!  She walked right in, sat down for circle time and was ready to go.  Yesterday and today, not so great.  She cried both times when I dropped her off….clinging to my leg and NOT wanting me to leave.  Needless to say my heart was breaking!!!  I know Tuesday was easy because the idea of school was new and exciting, but after the first day she understood the process….ie. mom not being there for the WHOLE day.  So, now we enter the seperation anxiety stage (for both mom and daughter) and begin the journey of letting go.  I remember this process with Ty and it took at least a month before he started to become comfortable.  AND, I know Chayse needs to go through the same thing, but it is really bothering me more this time.  WHY?  I really think it has to do with Chayse being my baby.  This is the last time I will go through this process.  Both of my kids are growing up and becoming indepentent from mom.  Chayse starting preschool just drives that home AND it doesn’t help that Ty will be starting kindergarten on the 25th.  So, in a few more weeks it will just be me, home alone, 3 days a week!!!  I am excited for this and dreading it at the same time.  What am I going to do?  My whole life for the past 5 years has been the kids and now I will have all this time on my hands.  THEN, come next year (I know it’s a whole year away, but it will be here sooner than later) both kids will be in school full time; Ty in 1st grade and Chayse in kindergarten.  Then what?  Get a job?  Try and continue working from home?  Plus, I don’t want to miss out on helping out at the school, PTA, extra.  Can you tell my brain has been racing??? 

Anyway, the second thing that has me stressing is the cabinets.  As I mentioned before, we are having the kitchen and all the bathroom cabinets stained.  The stain is up and now we are trying to figure out the top coat.  The problem?  The top coats are SO shiny!!!  I don’t remember the cabinets being that shiny.  I do have to say that Frank, the guy doing the work, has been really patient and is trying all different products to find the best one to use.  BUT, the process is still stressful….especially since I have my entire kichen in my livingroom!!  I just want my house back to normal so I can actually prepare a meal or should I say a HEALTHY meal for my family.  I am the type of person who cooks dinner almost every night, we rarely go out, and not being able to for almost the past month has been KILLING me!!!  I know the end is in sight, but it can’t get her soon enough for me!!!

Momma time in July

I was actually able to get some time away from the kids in July.  On July 18th & 19th was the bridal spectacular and that means the bridal fashion show.  I have been doing the show since July of 2006 thanks to my good friend Joy.  She is the choreographer of the show.  The show takes place every January and July and I have been able to be her assistant for the past 3 shows.  We work on the choreography together and I also help teach the numbers to the other models in the show as well as being one of the models myself.  I love being able to do something else then just “mom” twice a year….it makes me feel like I am taking part in the “outside world” again.  I am able to delve into my creative side and take part in something that is COMPLETELY different from my day to day life.  Plus, Mark loves being able to tell people that he is married to a “model”  :)  

I was also able to have a ”moms day of shopping” with my friend Jamie and her friend Sara.  We went to Town Square.  We were able to go in ”grown-up” stores and didn’t let each other shop for kids clothes at all!  I also found out that I truely love Ann Taylor Loft.  The clothes fit me perfectly and I was able to find some pants for this fall and winter that were actually long enough for me.  I guess I need to except the fact that I need to shop in “grown-up” stores to find clothes that fit my almost 40 year old frame.  Yes, almost 40…I know it’s still 4 years away, but those 4 years will be gone before I know it!!  We ended the day with a nice dinner at California Pizza Kitchen.  Great day!!!  Thanks ladies!

And the last thing for momma……staining the kitchen, and all the bathroom, cabinets.  I have been thinking and talking about this one for a while now and we finally are doing it.  Through my friend Joy we found Frank who does all kinds of construction and home renovations.  He is charging us a great price to stain all the cabinets in the whole house.  We are right in the middle of the project and can see the end in sight.  The cabinets are going from a honey color (they are Oak cabinets) to a really nice chocolate brown color.  They are nice and dark!!  So far I am totally happy with the color and can’t wait to see it when everything is done and back in place.

Oh, and I also found a GREAT painting for the familyroom.  I don’t think Mark is to hip on it, but what guy really does like pictures of flowers?  I love how it looks!!!

Still here….It’s just summer time in Vegas!

Okay, so it looks like I will be posting only once a month at the rate I have been going!!  I really do have an excuse….and that would be it is summer time in Vegas and the only thing I want to do is NOTHING!!  It’s even to hot to think!  July and August are the months that are worst for me.  I hate this time of year.  As most of you know I do not get alone with the sun and have been avoiding it as much as possible.  But, the down side to that is cooped up kids!!  Not fun either.  So, needless to say it has been an interesting summer so far.

Well lets see, Tyler was done with preschool on June 30th so I had both kids home all of July.  We of course had the 4th of July right off the bat, which was quite fun.  We hung out with our neighbors and had a mini block party.  All the kids played, swam, ate, and later shot off fireworks.  It was a really nice time.  We also had our other neighbor, Jorie, give the kids swimming lessons.  They both did an amazing job!  Chayse has no problem putting her face in the water anymore and does a great job of climbing out the side of the pool.  She still doesn’t try that hard to actually swim, but is doing much better.  Tyler on the other hand is all out swimming!!!  I can’t believe how much he has improved in such a short amount of time.  The only other thing that has gotten us out of the house was free movies at the Rave Movie Theatre.  Every Tuesday and Wednesday they offered a free movie at 10:00am.  We went to all of the ones I thougt the kids would sit throught.  It was definitely a nice break from our extremely busy schedule of hanging out at home!! 

So, now we enter August….another month of way to hot temperatures well over 100!!  Every day I think, “Is it October yet?????”

Were did June go???

Has it REALLY been over a month since I have been on here?  Man, time is going by so fast these days.  This past month I have felt like every time I get one thing done three more pop up screaming to be done next!  We have had a ton going on.  The community we live in is called Southern Highlands and every year they have a big Memorial Day Celebration.  This year instead of having just a carnival type area for the kids they had a “water play” area.  It was great!!  They had at least three different types of water slides, squirt gun mazes, dunk tank, and many other things for the kids to do.  Chayse went on one slide, with a little help from her dad, and that is all she wanted!  Tyler on the other hand had a blast!!  He played with his friend TD as long as he could, then it was time for a Subway dinner.  Once it started getting dark they had a huge fireworks show. 

Next up was Tyler’s Spring Program at his preschool, Springstone.  Each classroom had two songs that they performed.  Ty’s class sang “Tootie Tot” and “Little help from my friends”.  He did a great job!  We also have said good-bye to soccer for now.  The season ended May 31st with the Tigers winning 4-3!  It is just way to HOT in Vegas for him to play during the summer session.  We will be back in the fall though!

We were also able to have a great visit with most of my family.  My brother, sister-in-law, and mom all came out the beginning of this month.  Plus, Katie came home with her boyfriend Pete from New York, so I was finally able to meet him.  He is an amazing person and all I’m going to say right now is I wish both of you all the love in the world!!!  We all were able to spend some much needed and over do time together as well as celebrate Sheila’s 40th birthday!!!  You look good old women!!  :)   Thank you to all of you for braving the Vegas heat to see little old us.  I can’t wait to be able to do it again soon!!!

Coming up we have Tyler’s last day at Springstone, private swim lessons for the kids, and bridal show again……I will try to be more on top of things and post about these as they happen, not months after!! 

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